Introduction

Robert Stone lived at Haselbury his entire life, working for the same employer for over 23 years. He primarily seems to have been a brickmaker, although he may have held other roles as well. He had a large family and died at a relatively young age, possibly due to a work-related illness.

Childhood

Robert was born at Crewkerne in about 1836, the third of four children born to John and Phillis Stone. His father was a brickmaker.

The family lived at Crewkerne until at least April 1846. By March 1851, Robert was a brickmaker’s labourer at Kingswood, Hardington, working with his father.

Marriage

In 1855, Robert married Mary Crabb.[1] Both were about 19 years of age at the time of their marriage.

Mary was the eldest daughter of George and Hester Crabb, who lived at Clay Castle, Haselbury, from their marriage in 1835 until the 1850s, when they relocated to Wiltshire.[2] George was a farm labourer, while Hester, who originally came from Hardington, was a weaver. The 1851 census recorded Mary as also a weaver.

Haselbury

Robert and Mary established their home at Quatt, Haselbury.[3]

In the same year as their marriage, Robert began working for Thomas Hoskins Esquire, a position he held for over 23 years. The 1861 census recorded Robert as a brickmaker, while the 1871 and 1881 censuses listed him as a farm labourer. The 1891 census recorded no occupation for him, while his death certificate identified him as a brickmaker.

Mary contributed to the household income by weaving. The 1861 census recorded her as a girth web weaver, the 1881 census as a linen weaver, and the 1891 census as a web weaver.

The year after their marriage, Robert almost lost his job after committing a minor crime. On 3 December 1856, he and his father were brought before Yeovil County Sessions Court, accused of stealing wooden rails from Mr Dicks of Haselbury. His father was discharged after receiving a good character reference from Mr Hoskins, but Robert was fined 5s and ordered to pay court costs.[4]

Robert and Mary had twelve children, though two of them died young: Martha in April 1874 at the age of two and Charles Henry in December 1879 at the age of 19.

In November 1878, the Live and Let Live Friendly Society recognised Robert with an award of 8 shillings for the high standard of his allotment, along with an additional 18 shillings for 23 years of service with Thomas Hoskins.[5]

Mary’s kind nature

The following incident shows that Mary was a caring person. On Wednesday, 13 November 1889, she provided testimony at an inquest at the White Horse Inn regarding the death of Amelia Penfold, who had died two days earlier. Amelia, the 74-year-old wife of Robert Penfold, a travelling hawker, died in their van.

Mary recounted that two men knocked on her door at 2 a.m., requesting her assistance for their gravely ill grandmother. Without hesitation, Mary accompanied them and remained with Amelia until she passed away around 4 a.m. The coroner praised her for her kindness in getting up in the middle of the night to help.

Amelia’s daughter-in-law also testified, clarifying that they were travellers, not gypsies, and stating that Amelia had been treated for cancer at Dorchester Hospital but had been discharged in August as incurable. They had been camped in Haselbury for a few days after leaving Chard Fair and had provided Amelia with eggs, milk, and port wine, but had not sought further medical assistance, believing she could not be saved. After hearing all the evidence, the jury concluded that Amelia had died of cancer. [6]

Death

On 9 June 1892, Robert fell ill with inflammation of the lungs and liver, a condition possibly caused by brick dust exposure. He died 19 days later at the age of 56.[7] Mary died in July 1901 at the age of 64.

References

[1] The marriage took place in the Yeovil registration district in the second quarter of 1855 but not at Haselbury.

[2] Hester died at Sutton Veny in March 1872, and George also died there in November 1881

[3] The OS map of 1886 spells it Quat. The 1891 census recorded Robert’s address as Clay Castle; however, this may have referred to the same house since Clay Castle is located near Quatt.

[4] Sherborne Mercury, 9 December 1856, p.2. The report confuses John and Robert.

[5] Western Gazette, 8 November 1878, p.8.

[6] Western Gazette15 November 1889, p.6.

[7] Death certificate of Robert Stone.